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Sydney Smoke Rugby #1
Playing by her Rules
Sein Spiel, ihre Regeln.
Endlich bekommt Tilly Kent die große Chance, ihr journalistisches Talent unter Beweis zu stellen. Die Sache hat nur einen Haken - Tilly muss ausgerechnet über ihren Ex Tanner Stone schreiben. Der hat ihr damals das Herz gebrochen und ist mittlerweile erfolgreicher Rugby-Spieler. Erst sträubt sich Tilly gegen diesen Auftrag. Dann aber wittert sie ihre Chance - nicht nur die Karriereleiter emporzusteigen, sondern sich auch an Tanner zu rächen. Der hat nur ganz andere Pläne. Er will Tillys Herz zurückerobern ...
Heiße Rugby-Spieler, die reihenweise Herzen brechen. Starke Frauen, die sich nicht leicht um den Finger wickeln lassen. Und große Gefühle.
Die neue Sports-Romance-Reihe der USA-Today-Bestseller-Autorin Amy Andrews bei beHEARTBEAT - Herzklopfen garantiert!
Endlich bekommt Tilly Kent die große Chance, ihr journalistisches Talent unter Beweis zu stellen. Die Sache hat nur einen Haken - Tilly muss ausgerechnet über ihren Ex Tanner Stone schreiben. Der hat ihr damals das Herz gebrochen und ist mittlerweile erfolgreicher Rugby-Spieler. Erst sträubt sich Tilly gegen diesen Auftrag. Dann aber wittert sie ihre Chance - nicht nur die Karriereleiter emporzusteigen, sondern sich auch an Tanner zu rächen. Der hat nur ganz andere Pläne. Er will Tillys Herz zurückerobern ...
Heiße Rugby-Spieler, die reihenweise Herzen brechen. Starke Frauen, die sich nicht leicht um den Finger wickeln lassen. Und große Gefühle.
Die neue Sports-Romance-Reihe der USA-Today-Bestseller-Autorin Amy Andrews bei beHEARTBEAT - Herzklopfen garantiert!
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2016
363 people are currently reading
1819 people want to read
About the author
Amy Andrews
413 books1,421 followersAmy is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling Aussie author who has written eighty-five contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets.
Her books bring all the feels from sass, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and panty-melting heat.
She loves good books and great booze although she'll take mediocre booze if there's nothing else. For many, many years she was a registered nurse which means she knows things. Anatomical things. And she’s not afraid to use them!
She recently took a sea change and lives by the ocean with her husband of 33 years.
Sign up for Amy's newsletter here - http://www.amyandrews.com.au/newslett...
Follow Amy -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyAndrewsAu...
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Her books bring all the feels from sass, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and panty-melting heat.
She loves good books and great booze although she'll take mediocre booze if there's nothing else. For many, many years she was a registered nurse which means she knows things. Anatomical things. And she’s not afraid to use them!
She recently took a sea change and lives by the ocean with her husband of 33 years.
Sign up for Amy's newsletter here - http://www.amyandrews.com.au/newslett...
Follow Amy -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyAndrewsAu...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyandrewsb...
BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/amy-a...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
July 12, 2016
4 STARS
A swoony second chance romance with a hot Aussie Rugby player? Sign me up! What can I say? I'm an easy sell. But after reading and loving Amy's No More Mr. Nice Guy, when I saw she was coming out with a brand new series, I was all over it!
Matilda Kent has dreams of being a serious journalist. Writing about crotchless panties for the style column of the newspaper she works for is not exactly where she saw herself after Stanford. So when she gets a chance to be a feature writer at her newspaper she should be thrilled...if the subject of her article didn't also happen to be her ex and the man that broke her heart eight years ago.
Thus begins a slow-burn second chance romance of a woman determined to hold on to old grudges and the man determined to right all his wrongs.
I have to say, while it wasn't the sort of steam I'm used to in a Brazen title, it really worked for this story. The chemistry between Tilly and Tanner was so hot it sizzled and I loved the build up. While the trope was a bit of been there, read that; especially the reason for their break up, it still had a refreshing enough spin on it that kept me entertained from beginning to end.
I think what really hooked me with this story was Tanner. He was just so freaking swoony. I loved how sweet he was and the way he works to woo Tilly. He knows he screwed up and he needs to get his woman back and man oh man did I appreciate the way he went about it.
This was a fantastic start to what promises to be a great series. I for one can't wait for Lincoln's book because, well, manwhore. *Pervy shudder* What? I have a type.
Definitely looking forward to the next installment and can happily report that I have myself a brand new Brazen series to stalk.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
Everyone had parts of their job they hated. It just so happened that today hers had a name: Tanner Stone.
A swoony second chance romance with a hot Aussie Rugby player? Sign me up! What can I say? I'm an easy sell. But after reading and loving Amy's No More Mr. Nice Guy, when I saw she was coming out with a brand new series, I was all over it!
Matilda Kent has dreams of being a serious journalist. Writing about crotchless panties for the style column of the newspaper she works for is not exactly where she saw herself after Stanford. So when she gets a chance to be a feature writer at her newspaper she should be thrilled...if the subject of her article didn't also happen to be her ex and the man that broke her heart eight years ago.
Thus begins a slow-burn second chance romance of a woman determined to hold on to old grudges and the man determined to right all his wrongs.
I have to say, while it wasn't the sort of steam I'm used to in a Brazen title, it really worked for this story. The chemistry between Tilly and Tanner was so hot it sizzled and I loved the build up. While the trope was a bit of been there, read that; especially the reason for their break up, it still had a refreshing enough spin on it that kept me entertained from beginning to end.
I think what really hooked me with this story was Tanner. He was just so freaking swoony. I loved how sweet he was and the way he works to woo Tilly. He knows he screwed up and he needs to get his woman back and man oh man did I appreciate the way he went about it.
This was a fantastic start to what promises to be a great series. I for one can't wait for Lincoln's book because, well, manwhore. *Pervy shudder* What? I have a type.
Definitely looking forward to the next installment and can happily report that I have myself a brand new Brazen series to stalk.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
September 8, 2016
Her Rules were meant to be played with.
Oh my lordy…this book brought back some very fond memories. Way, way back in the day, before I had even laid eyes on hubby, I liked watching Rugby. One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday afternoon was to sit on the hill at Ballymore and watch either Queensland or Australia play. Now, anyone who really knows me may be a wee bit surprised at this. I’m not really known for my love of sports unless it’s to watch a family member play. Back then, my obsession had a little bit more to do with Jason Little and David Wilson…two rugby players that I had a mighty big crush on. Reading Playing By Her Rules brought back all the old memories. It’s all about hot guys with muscles, dripping blood, sweating buckets and playing footy with a footy on the footy field. Aussie’s love their footy.
I’m ashamed to say that this Aussie (me) had never even heard of the FANTABULOUS Aussie author Amy Andrews until recently. What makes it even more shameful…we live about 20 minutes away from each other. THE SHAME!! That’s OK, now that I’ve experienced her talent, there is no way I’ll be able to stop myself from going back and checking out her other stuff.
Playing By Her Rules was bloody good. If you want to read a story with real Aussies, then this is it. It’s not OTT – “Crikey, get another shrimp on the barbie” (THANK GOD!!), but there are a few terms that may stump you. Have no fear…Sassy to the rescue. Here’s a link to a very comprehensive Australian Slang Dictionary - http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian....
Now, onto the story… Matilda and Tanner were high school sweethearts. Things did not end well and they parted ways. Matilda went on to study at Stanford and Tanner became a Rugby Union player. Both of them had followed their dreams but only one of them had managed to move on…somewhat.
Matilda had been devastated by the breakup and never managed to have a successful relationship after her first love. She tried, but she wasn’t willing to risk her heart again and the blokes she did meet, didn’t really compare to her first love. Matilda has been content to focus her energies on work in the hopes she can move on from writing her fashion articles to a becoming a features writer. When her boss puts her in charge of a 6-week feature interviewing her first love, she’s hardly jumping for joy.
Tanner’s life is all about Rugby. He works really hard at it and has managed to have a successful career playing the sport he loves. Tanner does not like doing interviews and doesn't like being in the spotlight unless it's on the footy field. When he finds out that the big bosses are ordering him to do a 6 part interview he is less than happy…until he finds out who will be interviewing him.
Matilda was Tanner’s first and only love. When he sees her for the first time in eight years, all of the feelings he had for her resurface. He wants her back and decides that he’ll do whatever it takes to succeed. Unfortunately, his Tilly is not so keen and makes him work really hard to get past the brick wall around her heart.
I absolutely loved Tanner. At first, he comes across pretty arrogant, but the more you get to know him you realise he is not at all as he seems. Tanner is sweet, generous and thoughtful. Yes, he made a big mistake when he was 18 but he owns up to it and apologises. Matilda is a little bit prickly and very weary of Tanner which I could definitely not blame her for. When Matilda finally lets Tanner past her walls the chemistry between them was extremely hot. It’s pretty obvious that this couple were meant to be together and I loved that both of them needed to make allowances and learn to forgive each other.
If you’re an Aussie, you’ll feel right at home reading Playing By Her Rules. If you have a desire to take a quick trip down under, then this is a great way to see how we really live. This story is sweet, funny and steamy. It made my heart flutter and left me with a big goofy smile on my face. I’m definitely going to be reading more of this series in the future.
To buy Playing By Her Rules from Amazon - http://amzn.to/2c9Efsi
I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -
July 2, 2016
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was a bit afraid going into this one because me and sports heroes don't always get along. A lot of times I find the OTT man-whore gig to be a tad bit much with groupies and OW always in the face of the heroine. Luckly this was NOT the case with Tanner AT ALL. No groupies, no OW, not really any mention of Tanner's or Tilly's sex life after they broke up 8 years previously. Both moved on and had others, but it's just a fleeting mention here and there.
I ADORED this book. A total 5 star read for me. This is the gold standard of what I LOVE in a second chance romance. Hero does something disckish with misguided but honorable intentions causing the end of his and the heroine's relationship. Some time passes and circumstances bring them back together. Heroine is angry and bitter. Hero realizes that he never stopped loving the heroine and sets about winning her back.
I LOVED Tanner. He was super sweet and such a nice guy. Sexy as hell, and just a great hero. Tilly was also a really well written character. She was funny and snarky, and I felt for her. I understood her anger and her reluctance to let Tanner in again. That said, there were a few times I just wanted to shake both of them and tell them to TALK already.
I also enjoyed the side characters. Tanner's teammates all seemed like great guys and there seems to be some good potential for future storylines involving them. The plot flowed nicely and kept me turning the pages. If I had to complain about something, it would be the lack of epilogue. I'm an epilogue girl and I want to see years into the future with marriage and babies. Perhaps though we will see some of that in upcoming books.
Overall this was a fantastic read and it's a definite recommendation from yours truly.
I was a bit afraid going into this one because me and sports heroes don't always get along. A lot of times I find the OTT man-whore gig to be a tad bit much with groupies and OW always in the face of the heroine. Luckly this was NOT the case with Tanner AT ALL. No groupies, no OW, not really any mention of Tanner's or Tilly's sex life after they broke up 8 years previously. Both moved on and had others, but it's just a fleeting mention here and there.
I ADORED this book. A total 5 star read for me. This is the gold standard of what I LOVE in a second chance romance. Hero does something disckish with misguided but honorable intentions causing the end of his and the heroine's relationship. Some time passes and circumstances bring them back together. Heroine is angry and bitter. Hero realizes that he never stopped loving the heroine and sets about winning her back.
I LOVED Tanner. He was super sweet and such a nice guy. Sexy as hell, and just a great hero. Tilly was also a really well written character. She was funny and snarky, and I felt for her. I understood her anger and her reluctance to let Tanner in again. That said, there were a few times I just wanted to shake both of them and tell them to TALK already.
I also enjoyed the side characters. Tanner's teammates all seemed like great guys and there seems to be some good potential for future storylines involving them. The plot flowed nicely and kept me turning the pages. If I had to complain about something, it would be the lack of epilogue. I'm an epilogue girl and I want to see years into the future with marriage and babies. Perhaps though we will see some of that in upcoming books.
Overall this was a fantastic read and it's a definite recommendation from yours truly.
July 11, 2016
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Score!!!! Amy Andrews has scored major points in her newest release Playing By Her Rules. Hot Australian Rugby hero. Check! A sassy heroine.Check! A swoonworthy hero. Check! Hot chemistry.Check! A fun and sweet second chance love story!Check! Twitter Hashtags. Check! Rugby players.Check! Check!
Eight years ago, Matilda Kent got her heart broken from her first and only love, Tanner Stone. The once carefree and smart mouth Matilda is now guarded when it comes to dating and love. And so when she was assigned to do an six-serial feature editorial, Matilda should be ecstatic as this would be her big break but the feature was on Tanner Stone, Australian Rugby Captain of the Sydney Smoke.
“That old Tilly was still in there, he was sure of it. She was just hiding, buried beneath a shit-ton of hurt, and he hated knowing he was, at least partially, responsible. The thought needled like prickles on sunburn. He had to try and make amends somehow. If he’d broken her, wasn’t it his responsibility to fix her? To coax her out from behind that wall so she could smile again— could be happy within herself and shine bright for the whole damn world to see?”
Tanner Stone let Matilda Kent walk away from him eight years ago because he didn’t want her to give up on her dreams. This was the secret he kept to himself all these years because he would rather be brokenhearted than see the girl he loves throw away her dreams so she could follow him in his dreams to play rugby. Tanner made a choice to let her go so she can go to Stanford and doesn’t regret that one bit but it seems Matilda thinks he let her go because he didn’t love her enough. Now that he finally has a chance to make things right with Matilda, she doesn’t want anything to do with him but just get this interview over with. And so Tanner will go out of his way to show his Tilly that he is the right and only man for her. Will Tanner be able to prove to Tilly that this is #definitelylove?
“That’s what he wanted. To love her again. But she didn’t look in any kind of mood to be throwing that out there. He had some more making up to do.”
Seriously, Tanner Stone is book boyfriend material. He was sweet, kind, humble and has a big heart especially when it comes to Tilly. Tanner reminds us all that love is not easy. Sometimes love entails sacrifices and letting go. And for Tanner, he wouldn’t change a thing because he didn’t want to be the reason for Tilly to give up her dreams in writing and going to Stanford. Like I said earlier, Amy Andrews has scored major points in my book for writing a lovable hero who has won reader’s hearts for his humility, sacrifice, and sweet personality. #TannerStoneForTheWin.
“Her mouth devoured his. Or maybe his devoured hers. Matilda wasn’t keeping score. She just hung on to those big shoulders, opened her mouth, and gave him everything she had, demanding the same in return.”
As sweet and amazing Tanner is, I loved the banter and Twitter status updates that was incorporated into the story line. I loved that Amy Andrews was able to weave a second chance romance via Twitter and #Hashtags. The hashtags were cute, fresh and added a modern touch which allowed readers to feel Tanner’s celebrity status as we get to see the friendly banter exchanges between Matilda and Tanner. I think it’s best that I end this review with a personal tweet.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Amy Andrews
Score!!!! Amy Andrews has scored major points in her newest release Playing By Her Rules. Hot Australian Rugby hero. Check! A sassy heroine.Check! A swoonworthy hero. Check! Hot chemistry.Check! A fun and sweet second chance love story!Check! Twitter Hashtags. Check! Rugby players.Check! Check!
Eight years ago, Matilda Kent got her heart broken from her first and only love, Tanner Stone. The once carefree and smart mouth Matilda is now guarded when it comes to dating and love. And so when she was assigned to do an six-serial feature editorial, Matilda should be ecstatic as this would be her big break but the feature was on Tanner Stone, Australian Rugby Captain of the Sydney Smoke.
“That old Tilly was still in there, he was sure of it. She was just hiding, buried beneath a shit-ton of hurt, and he hated knowing he was, at least partially, responsible. The thought needled like prickles on sunburn. He had to try and make amends somehow. If he’d broken her, wasn’t it his responsibility to fix her? To coax her out from behind that wall so she could smile again— could be happy within herself and shine bright for the whole damn world to see?”Tanner Stone let Matilda Kent walk away from him eight years ago because he didn’t want her to give up on her dreams. This was the secret he kept to himself all these years because he would rather be brokenhearted than see the girl he loves throw away her dreams so she could follow him in his dreams to play rugby. Tanner made a choice to let her go so she can go to Stanford and doesn’t regret that one bit but it seems Matilda thinks he let her go because he didn’t love her enough. Now that he finally has a chance to make things right with Matilda, she doesn’t want anything to do with him but just get this interview over with. And so Tanner will go out of his way to show his Tilly that he is the right and only man for her. Will Tanner be able to prove to Tilly that this is #definitelylove?
“That’s what he wanted. To love her again. But she didn’t look in any kind of mood to be throwing that out there. He had some more making up to do.”
Seriously, Tanner Stone is book boyfriend material. He was sweet, kind, humble and has a big heart especially when it comes to Tilly. Tanner reminds us all that love is not easy. Sometimes love entails sacrifices and letting go. And for Tanner, he wouldn’t change a thing because he didn’t want to be the reason for Tilly to give up her dreams in writing and going to Stanford. Like I said earlier, Amy Andrews has scored major points in my book for writing a lovable hero who has won reader’s hearts for his humility, sacrifice, and sweet personality. #TannerStoneForTheWin.
“Her mouth devoured his. Or maybe his devoured hers. Matilda wasn’t keeping score. She just hung on to those big shoulders, opened her mouth, and gave him everything she had, demanding the same in return.”As sweet and amazing Tanner is, I loved the banter and Twitter status updates that was incorporated into the story line. I loved that Amy Andrews was able to weave a second chance romance via Twitter and #Hashtags. The hashtags were cute, fresh and added a modern touch which allowed readers to feel Tanner’s celebrity status as we get to see the friendly banter exchanges between Matilda and Tanner. I think it’s best that I end this review with a personal tweet.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Amy Andrews
July 11, 2016
4 - "Sorry... Did I make you wet..?" Stars!
A steady start for Amy Andrews new Sydney Smoke series. We have a team of rugby players, and I would imagine as the series progress each woman to cross their paths will have the potential to make her respective player have a little less control of his balls than normal!
I really enjoyed Matilda and Tanners’, second chance reconnection, but as a reader of many, many books in the Brazen imprint and from Entangled Publishing in general, this story sat more in the Indulgence category for me. The romance is slow-burn, and rightly so, as this is a couple with eight years of hurt and mis-interpretation to work through. I have no problem with that at all, but if you, like me expect the sex to get going pretty shaprish in your Brazen reading, then you need to stick with Playing by Her Rules for that, and it’s worth it, if you do.
The girl he’d once known had disappeared behind a wall that had been laid by him – or started by him anyway.
I liked Tanner and Tilly together, plenty of banter, the chemistry took a little while to get going, mainly because Tilly had a serious case of revenge-hate going on for him in the first half of the book. Understandable, if you take into account the position her boss has put her in, in that in order to get ahead at work, she has to spend the time getting to know someone who essentially broke her heart all those years ago, and because of that has shaped all of her relationships with men in the intervening years, and is literally given no choice about it.
She had a goal here – revenge. And she couldn’t lose sight of it.
But what she initially thinks will be a series of six articles that will expose to the masses just how much of a dislikeable tool Tanner Stone really is, flips on its head when she learns that there is so much more behind the perceived Playboy facade, than she was expecting, he is still in essence the boy she fell in love with all those years ago, and that brings about a resurgence of feelings that she’s not quite sure what to do with, or how to handle.
#mightbelove
Tanner was an absolute sweetheart in his attempts to woo Tilly, even after every attempt is rebuffed, he carries on trying to make her see that he is more than the one mistake that he made when they were kids.
"Time to let go of the past."
This is a pretty standard A-Z romance, but Amy has written this couple well, and given them the time to redevelop their relationship, before jumping fully into the bedroom again.
"You were always the best part of me...Always."
I enjoyed it, it wasn’t a struggle to read, and let’s face it, hot football players, yes please! Plenty of scope for the rest of the books for this series, and if the banter between the guys in this one is anything to go by, a few giggles will be had by readers as well.
"Captain Cunnilingus is in da house."
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
A steady start for Amy Andrews new Sydney Smoke series. We have a team of rugby players, and I would imagine as the series progress each woman to cross their paths will have the potential to make her respective player have a little less control of his balls than normal!
I really enjoyed Matilda and Tanners’, second chance reconnection, but as a reader of many, many books in the Brazen imprint and from Entangled Publishing in general, this story sat more in the Indulgence category for me. The romance is slow-burn, and rightly so, as this is a couple with eight years of hurt and mis-interpretation to work through. I have no problem with that at all, but if you, like me expect the sex to get going pretty shaprish in your Brazen reading, then you need to stick with Playing by Her Rules for that, and it’s worth it, if you do.
The girl he’d once known had disappeared behind a wall that had been laid by him – or started by him anyway.
I liked Tanner and Tilly together, plenty of banter, the chemistry took a little while to get going, mainly because Tilly had a serious case of revenge-hate going on for him in the first half of the book. Understandable, if you take into account the position her boss has put her in, in that in order to get ahead at work, she has to spend the time getting to know someone who essentially broke her heart all those years ago, and because of that has shaped all of her relationships with men in the intervening years, and is literally given no choice about it.
She had a goal here – revenge. And she couldn’t lose sight of it.
But what she initially thinks will be a series of six articles that will expose to the masses just how much of a dislikeable tool Tanner Stone really is, flips on its head when she learns that there is so much more behind the perceived Playboy facade, than she was expecting, he is still in essence the boy she fell in love with all those years ago, and that brings about a resurgence of feelings that she’s not quite sure what to do with, or how to handle.
#mightbelove
Tanner was an absolute sweetheart in his attempts to woo Tilly, even after every attempt is rebuffed, he carries on trying to make her see that he is more than the one mistake that he made when they were kids.
"Time to let go of the past."
This is a pretty standard A-Z romance, but Amy has written this couple well, and given them the time to redevelop their relationship, before jumping fully into the bedroom again.
"You were always the best part of me...Always."
I enjoyed it, it wasn’t a struggle to read, and let’s face it, hot football players, yes please! Plenty of scope for the rest of the books for this series, and if the banter between the guys in this one is anything to go by, a few giggles will be had by readers as well.
"Captain Cunnilingus is in da house."
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
July 10, 2016
Romance featuring rugby players is like catnip to me. I grew up loving the game, and whilst I can tell you the points scored for a conversion, a try and a dropped-goal, I can also tell you that rugby players have outstanding thighs. And shoulders.
The second-chance trope with redemption is a firm favourite of mine and I always appreciate a hero who wears his heart on his sleeve and Tanner is that man; he may talk a good game, but he's much more than that. And I equally appreciate a heroine who doesn't give him an easy time of things, and Matilda has very valid reason.
"You broke my heart, Tanner. And that’s not okay. Things can never be okay between us again."
For a Brazen, Playing by Her Rules is fairly low on the heat scale and the romance between Tanner and Matilda simmered as opposed to boiled. But they had a chemistry that reignited as the story progressed and the slower burn was actually fitting to the fact they have history. It's definitely a story weighted towards the sexual tension, they have it going on in spades and, even thought I felt Tanner and Matilda deserved a little more sooner (again down to expectations from this imprint), the build-up between them was sexy, the humour was witty and cheeky and there were some lovely touching moments.
"You were always the best part of me."
This is a promising start to the Sydney Smoke Rugby series and with a great bunch of secondary characters introduced who provide plenty of banter, the foundations have been laid for much more (seven books more I'm led to believe). Amy Andrews isn't a new author to me, I've read many by her, I enjoy her couples and I'm looking forward to seeing how the series develops.
Copy received courtesy of Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.
The second-chance trope with redemption is a firm favourite of mine and I always appreciate a hero who wears his heart on his sleeve and Tanner is that man; he may talk a good game, but he's much more than that. And I equally appreciate a heroine who doesn't give him an easy time of things, and Matilda has very valid reason.
"You broke my heart, Tanner. And that’s not okay. Things can never be okay between us again."
For a Brazen, Playing by Her Rules is fairly low on the heat scale and the romance between Tanner and Matilda simmered as opposed to boiled. But they had a chemistry that reignited as the story progressed and the slower burn was actually fitting to the fact they have history. It's definitely a story weighted towards the sexual tension, they have it going on in spades and, even thought I felt Tanner and Matilda deserved a little more sooner (again down to expectations from this imprint), the build-up between them was sexy, the humour was witty and cheeky and there were some lovely touching moments.
"You were always the best part of me."
This is a promising start to the Sydney Smoke Rugby series and with a great bunch of secondary characters introduced who provide plenty of banter, the foundations have been laid for much more (seven books more I'm led to believe). Amy Andrews isn't a new author to me, I've read many by her, I enjoy her couples and I'm looking forward to seeing how the series develops.
Copy received courtesy of Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.
August 16, 2018
Super cute second chance at love.
Playing by Her Rules was a highly predictable second chance at romance kind of novel. I still ended up enjoying the crap out of it though. In this book, you will meet Matilda Kent, aka Tilly, and Tanner Stone. Tilly is a style columnist and the ex-girlfriend of Tanner, who is a captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team.
Things didn't end well between these two so I was kind of intrigued to see what was going to happen. Of course Tilly ends up being the journalist writing a six-part series on her ex boyfriend. The guy who supposedly cheated on her with some girl who was basically always trying to hook up with him. It broke her heart - way more than he thought it did. UGH BOYS ARE SO STUPID!
Throughout the book they go on these little "dates" and the sparks are still sparking between them. The chemistry is there.. but Tanner has got to work for it. Tilly has spunk and doesn't let him worm his way back into her heart quite easily. Of course, they basically end up being each other's kryptonite. It was adorable (and predictable).
Besides the sports and dates, there was some drama. Truths come out into the open and it definitely leads to changes between these two. In the end, they end up getting engaged and it was just cute. Adorable even. I can't wait to dive into the next book of this series.
Playing by Her Rules was a highly predictable second chance at romance kind of novel. I still ended up enjoying the crap out of it though. In this book, you will meet Matilda Kent, aka Tilly, and Tanner Stone. Tilly is a style columnist and the ex-girlfriend of Tanner, who is a captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team.
Things didn't end well between these two so I was kind of intrigued to see what was going to happen. Of course Tilly ends up being the journalist writing a six-part series on her ex boyfriend. The guy who supposedly cheated on her with some girl who was basically always trying to hook up with him. It broke her heart - way more than he thought it did. UGH BOYS ARE SO STUPID!
Throughout the book they go on these little "dates" and the sparks are still sparking between them. The chemistry is there.. but Tanner has got to work for it. Tilly has spunk and doesn't let him worm his way back into her heart quite easily. Of course, they basically end up being each other's kryptonite. It was adorable (and predictable).
Besides the sports and dates, there was some drama. Truths come out into the open and it definitely leads to changes between these two. In the end, they end up getting engaged and it was just cute. Adorable even. I can't wait to dive into the next book of this series.
July 16, 2016
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed Playing By Her Rules.
This was a fun, entertaining and heartfelt second chance love story.
Matilda and Tanner were great characters, they made me laugh, loved their banter, frustrated me, and warmed my heart with their love and admiration for each other.
And their chemistry?? HOT HOT HOT!
Playing by Her Rules was a well written and entertaining second chance love story that will capture your interest from the first page until the last. What a great start to the Sydney Smoke Rugby series!
*A big thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC ~ Brazen via NetGalley for the advance copy*
I really enjoyed Playing By Her Rules.
This was a fun, entertaining and heartfelt second chance love story.
Matilda and Tanner were great characters, they made me laugh, loved their banter, frustrated me, and warmed my heart with their love and admiration for each other.
And their chemistry?? HOT HOT HOT!
Playing by Her Rules was a well written and entertaining second chance love story that will capture your interest from the first page until the last. What a great start to the Sydney Smoke Rugby series!
*A big thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC ~ Brazen via NetGalley for the advance copy*
August 12, 2016
Title: Playing by Her Rules
Series: (Sydney Smoke Rugby, #1)
Author: Amy Andrews
Genre: Adult Contemporary Sports Romance
Rating: 4-Stars
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
Blog: HERE
(Sydney Smoke Rugby, #1) Playing by Her RulesBook can be read as a standalone.
Yes, he'd screwed up. Big time. Yes, he had a lot of making up to do. But he hadn't realized how much he'd missed her. Until now.
Playing by Her Rules was a slow, but sexy, second chance romance where the Hero— a hot Australian rugby football player—has to play by the rules of his long-lost, but never forgotten, love so he can score off the field and win the biggest game of all...her.
Easily an enjoyable read, and definitely well-written, Playing by Her Rules is a good *kick off for the beginning of the Sydney Smoke Rugby series.
#mightbelove #kryptonitepanties #definitelylove
*Kick Off - To start a match, or resume a match after one team scores or after half time, a player will dropkick the ball at or behind the 50 Meter line.
Hero: 3.5-Stars
Heroine: 3-Stars
Romance: 4-Stars
Sex: 4.5-Stars
Plot: 3.5-Stars
Dialogue: 5-Stars
Writing: 4.5-Stars
PS: I was given a complementary copy of this book. But I do solemnly swear that I am up to...good. *wink* This is a fair, honest review and/or rating(s) of this book, pinky promise.
August 1, 2016
No, Nope, Nah, Hell No.
This book hit about 70% of my hot buttons. I read the blurb and thought hell yeah this sounds like the book for me but then as I read it there were so many things that just pissed me off I think I have pulled a muscle from rolling my eyes so hard.
I guess first I should say that I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them. The writing itself was flawless and the editing was almost perfect, my issue with the book was the subject matter itself and in all fairness I am sure it would work for a lot of people it just didn’t for me.
I loved the 80 year old grandmother. She was classic and hilarious as fuck. I actually had a few laugh out loud moments. She was hands down the best thing about this book. All 3 pages of her.
Her grandmother leaned in and brought her lips close to Matilda’s ear. “Please tell me you’re tapping that,” she whispered. Matilda swivelled her head to stare at her grandmother. Tapping that? What the fuck? Her grandmother hooted at Matilda’s consternation. “What?” she whispered, clearly unperturbed. “I keep up with the lingo.”
So why didn’t I like it?
This is where I am going to throw in the spoiler warning because there is no way for me to explain why I didn’t like it without spoilers.
Anyway I am off to read something that doesn't push all my buttons.
Check out my reviews here
This book hit about 70% of my hot buttons. I read the blurb and thought hell yeah this sounds like the book for me but then as I read it there were so many things that just pissed me off I think I have pulled a muscle from rolling my eyes so hard.
I guess first I should say that I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them. The writing itself was flawless and the editing was almost perfect, my issue with the book was the subject matter itself and in all fairness I am sure it would work for a lot of people it just didn’t for me.
I loved the 80 year old grandmother. She was classic and hilarious as fuck. I actually had a few laugh out loud moments. She was hands down the best thing about this book. All 3 pages of her.
Her grandmother leaned in and brought her lips close to Matilda’s ear. “Please tell me you’re tapping that,” she whispered. Matilda swivelled her head to stare at her grandmother. Tapping that? What the fuck? Her grandmother hooted at Matilda’s consternation. “What?” she whispered, clearly unperturbed. “I keep up with the lingo.”
So why didn’t I like it?
This is where I am going to throw in the spoiler warning because there is no way for me to explain why I didn’t like it without spoilers.
Anyway I am off to read something that doesn't push all my buttons.
Check out my reviews here
September 16, 2016
Seems I am on a minority on this one. Sorry for this unpopular opinion. I have friends who loved this book but it just didn't work for me. I love second chance romances. One of my favorite tropes but I wasn' t really convinced of the "I've never stopped loving you" here. Let me explain.
See, the H broke up with the h when they were in high school by kissing another girl on purpose because she was about to turn down her scholarship in Standford to follow him around playing rugby. He broke her heart and of course, I get that it was for her own good, blah, blah, blah. The h went to the states to study and they meet again after 8 years. The girl has been back for 5 years in the same country and same city he was in. Too many opportunities wasted! He never once tried to make contact with her until the h was forced to write an article about him. Hence, the first meeting in the locker room after 8 years. The h was trying to schedule an interview for the paper but the H decided to have it over dinner in a posh restaurant to impress her. When the H saw her wearing the black dress, he suddenly decided he wants her back in his life. If he hasn't stopped loving her like he said, he should have made a way to see her, apologise and grovel to take him back when she came back from studying. Years too late! It just doesn't make sense. Or maybe I am just being difficult. *shrug* I just don't get it. Sorry not sorry at all.
See, the H broke up with the h when they were in high school by kissing another girl on purpose because she was about to turn down her scholarship in Standford to follow him around playing rugby. He broke her heart and of course, I get that it was for her own good, blah, blah, blah. The h went to the states to study and they meet again after 8 years. The girl has been back for 5 years in the same country and same city he was in. Too many opportunities wasted! He never once tried to make contact with her until the h was forced to write an article about him. Hence, the first meeting in the locker room after 8 years. The h was trying to schedule an interview for the paper but the H decided to have it over dinner in a posh restaurant to impress her. When the H saw her wearing the black dress, he suddenly decided he wants her back in his life. If he hasn't stopped loving her like he said, he should have made a way to see her, apologise and grovel to take him back when she came back from studying. Years too late! It just doesn't make sense. Or maybe I am just being difficult. *shrug* I just don't get it. Sorry not sorry at all.
July 11, 2016
4.5 Stars!
Playing By Her Rules is a second chance love that had me happy and sad at the same time. I'm sad that they had to waste 8 years. The author did such a good job of the chemistry between these two. The characters completely sucked me in, maybe a little too much because I had a hard time forgiving Tanner as much as Tilly did. Good thing he is such a great guy! Overall, great story, great characters and I would love to read more from Amy Andrews.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Playing By Her Rules is a second chance love that had me happy and sad at the same time. I'm sad that they had to waste 8 years. The author did such a good job of the chemistry between these two. The characters completely sucked me in, maybe a little too much because I had a hard time forgiving Tanner as much as Tilly did. Good thing he is such a great guy! Overall, great story, great characters and I would love to read more from Amy Andrews.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2016
Rating: 4 Stars.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
August 8, 2016
3.5 stars.
July 6, 2016
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Playing by Her Rules by Amy Andrews
Book One of the Sydney Smoke Rugby series
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Publication Date: July 11, 2016
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
In this grudge match, the first to score…
When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.
…could win it all!
Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!
What I Liked:
Ehhhhh. I didn't really enjoy this book. I didn't hate it either, but it was nothing special. This review might not seem the most positive, but I honestly don't know how to put my thoughts together. Three stars isn't bad, but this book is on the not-so-memorable side of three stars. Apologies in advance if this review isn't up to my usual standard - I'm feeling very meh about this book!
Matilda is a journalist for a local magazine, and lately, she hasn't been loving the work she's been assigned. When she lets it slip that she used to date the rugby star and captain, Tanner Stone, her editor demands that she writes a six-piece cover on Tanner. And Tanner's coach tells him he needs to do it, because rugby needed a bit of good PR at the time. Matilda doesn't want anything to do with Tanner, after the way they broke up eight years ago. But Tanner wants to take this opportunity to show her that his mistake from eight years ago was just that - a mistake - and that he has never stopped wanting her.
I love sports romances, and this one wasn't too bad an example of a sports romance. I've never read one about a rugby player, so that was a neat experience. I must say, rugby players seem like the real deal. I personally like soccer players and hockey players, but we'll go ahead and add rugby players to the mix. *peers at athletes*
This is one of those cases where I loved the male but didn't really care for the female. Tanner is alright by me! He's a gentleman and a sweetheart, even though the media (and Matilda) portrays him as a shallow playboy. He donates so much money and time to charities, and he never stops to help someone or be kind to someone. Matilda has such a negative opinion of him because of how they broke up... eight years ago, when they were still in high school.
More on Matilda in the next section.
I liked the chemistry between these two. While there definitely could have been more sex scenes (there were only two, and they were at the end of the book, and rather abbreviated), I liked the boiling chemistry that the author cooked up.
But I also liked the progression of the relationship. Matilda has to do a six-piece interview, so they decide to meet once a week of six weeks. Each encounter is funny and steamy, whether directly or physically or emotionally. It's nice to see them reconnect and fall in love again, even though Matilda is a stubborn, prickly thorn (more on this later).
Overall, I liked the story, the sport aspect, and the chemistry, but I wasn't feeling the female protagonist and her drama.
What I Did Not Like:
I already mentioned the minimal sex scenes - you really can't get away with only two. And one of those scenes was SO short. And both were at the end of the book. I liked the tension that the author built up, so that should stay. But the ending could have been more drawn out.
I didn't really like Matilda. She held on to something so stupid and silly for eight years. She let it ruin relationships and dubbed herself as "broken", because of something that Tanner did (for her own good, by the way). If she really loved him back then, she would have talked to him. But she ran. She didn't fight for him.
Eight years later, she's rude and mean and cruel to Tanner, and I personally don't think he deserved any of that. I tried putting myself in her shoes; while I could maybe see why she would still be mad at him, I could not understand why she was so petty. As a journalist, she needed to be impartial, and let her personal feelings stay out of the written story. She didn't do this.
Honestly, Matilda was a bit too dramatic and bratty for me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this is my opinion of her.
Would I Recommend It:
Ehh, I wouldn't recommend this book. It's not life-changing, and it wasn't even a hot Brazen novel. It was short (shorter than most Brazen novels!), and there definitely was not enough steamy scenes (though the chemistry and tension was hot). I may keep up with the series (especially if Linc is a future protagonist!), but probably not.
Rating:
3 stars. This book has received some really positive advanced reviews so far! I'm sorry that mine isn't quite one of them. But I hope you'll see the book in a different light. While it didn't work for me, I did like it somewhat, and I could see others enjoying it.
Playing by Her Rules by Amy Andrews
Book One of the Sydney Smoke Rugby series
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Publication Date: July 11, 2016
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
In this grudge match, the first to score…
When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.
…could win it all!
Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!
What I Liked:
Ehhhhh. I didn't really enjoy this book. I didn't hate it either, but it was nothing special. This review might not seem the most positive, but I honestly don't know how to put my thoughts together. Three stars isn't bad, but this book is on the not-so-memorable side of three stars. Apologies in advance if this review isn't up to my usual standard - I'm feeling very meh about this book!
Matilda is a journalist for a local magazine, and lately, she hasn't been loving the work she's been assigned. When she lets it slip that she used to date the rugby star and captain, Tanner Stone, her editor demands that she writes a six-piece cover on Tanner. And Tanner's coach tells him he needs to do it, because rugby needed a bit of good PR at the time. Matilda doesn't want anything to do with Tanner, after the way they broke up eight years ago. But Tanner wants to take this opportunity to show her that his mistake from eight years ago was just that - a mistake - and that he has never stopped wanting her.
I love sports romances, and this one wasn't too bad an example of a sports romance. I've never read one about a rugby player, so that was a neat experience. I must say, rugby players seem like the real deal. I personally like soccer players and hockey players, but we'll go ahead and add rugby players to the mix. *peers at athletes*
This is one of those cases where I loved the male but didn't really care for the female. Tanner is alright by me! He's a gentleman and a sweetheart, even though the media (and Matilda) portrays him as a shallow playboy. He donates so much money and time to charities, and he never stops to help someone or be kind to someone. Matilda has such a negative opinion of him because of how they broke up... eight years ago, when they were still in high school.
More on Matilda in the next section.
I liked the chemistry between these two. While there definitely could have been more sex scenes (there were only two, and they were at the end of the book, and rather abbreviated), I liked the boiling chemistry that the author cooked up.
But I also liked the progression of the relationship. Matilda has to do a six-piece interview, so they decide to meet once a week of six weeks. Each encounter is funny and steamy, whether directly or physically or emotionally. It's nice to see them reconnect and fall in love again, even though Matilda is a stubborn, prickly thorn (more on this later).
Overall, I liked the story, the sport aspect, and the chemistry, but I wasn't feeling the female protagonist and her drama.
What I Did Not Like:
I already mentioned the minimal sex scenes - you really can't get away with only two. And one of those scenes was SO short. And both were at the end of the book. I liked the tension that the author built up, so that should stay. But the ending could have been more drawn out.
I didn't really like Matilda. She held on to something so stupid and silly for eight years. She let it ruin relationships and dubbed herself as "broken", because of something that Tanner did (for her own good, by the way). If she really loved him back then, she would have talked to him. But she ran. She didn't fight for him.
Eight years later, she's rude and mean and cruel to Tanner, and I personally don't think he deserved any of that. I tried putting myself in her shoes; while I could maybe see why she would still be mad at him, I could not understand why she was so petty. As a journalist, she needed to be impartial, and let her personal feelings stay out of the written story. She didn't do this.
Honestly, Matilda was a bit too dramatic and bratty for me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this is my opinion of her.
Would I Recommend It:
Ehh, I wouldn't recommend this book. It's not life-changing, and it wasn't even a hot Brazen novel. It was short (shorter than most Brazen novels!), and there definitely was not enough steamy scenes (though the chemistry and tension was hot). I may keep up with the series (especially if Linc is a future protagonist!), but probably not.
Rating:
3 stars. This book has received some really positive advanced reviews so far! I'm sorry that mine isn't quite one of them. But I hope you'll see the book in a different light. While it didn't work for me, I did like it somewhat, and I could see others enjoying it.
July 4, 2016
ARC received from: Netgalley
Rating: 5*
Trope: Sport + reconciliation romance
Chemistry: Off the charts Scorchio
One-Sentence Summary: A journalist has to do a feature on her crazy hot rugby-playing ex
Review: One of my favourite romance authors writing a sports romance? The romance gods must finally have heard my prayers!
Whilst I can safely say that all my knowledge about sport, especially any game which involves running and tackling to get the ball, comes from Friday Night Lights (Kyle Chandler *sigh*) and books, I LOVE a good sports romance.
This was a GREAT sports romance.
Matilda is a journalist who has to write a story on her high school boyfriend Tanner. The book is full of everything I love in a sports romance including a locker room scene, raucous-but-good-natured friends, a couple being set-up for exploration in a future book, lots of chemistry between the couple and the playback jock being revealed to be a really nice guy.
I especially loved the use of Twitter messages in the book which got to show Tanner's charming and funny side. The chemistry between him and Matilda was explosive and their interactions full of UST.
All in all, it was complete perfection.
Finally, you know how they say not to leave the cinema until the end credits finish because there may be a fun bonus scene at the end? Well, don't close this book until you read the glossary included at the end!!!
Originally posted @ Love's A State Of Mind
July 13, 2016
Tanner and Tilly were very much in love in high school. Tanner made a decision that destroyed their relationship and Tilly in the process. He felt like he was doing right by her and in ways he did. He should've handled things differently but he was also an 18 year old guy. 8 years later they are brought back into each other's life through work. Tilly has a chip on her shoulder which I did totally understand but I wish she would've softened a bit sooner. Her anger started to get on my nerves after a while. Tanner was a really good guy. He did so much trying to prove himself to Tilly over and over and each time she threw it in his face. My stars are mostly all for him. They needed to maybe get the serious conversation out of the way sooner than they did. I loved the ending and all of the secondary characters. I'm waiting for future books in this series. Like maybe Linc and Victoria? I also would like to see more of Tanner and Tilly after their HEA.
July 28, 2016
ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rating~ 3.75 stars.
This was a very fun, quick book with a good plot and an entertaining couple with great chemistry.
I really enjoyed the couple together, their banter to their sweet moments and how much the both wanted the best for each other when they were younger.
Matilda 'Tilly' Kent wants to be taken seriously as a journalist and you'd think after graduating from Standford she wouldn't be stuck writing about fashion, bizarre fashion at that. She has been looking for her big break, too bad the break out involves not only an EX but the ex-boyfriend that left her broken hearted and turned her into a cynic.
Tanner 'Slick' Stone , all around good guy except that one time. Some would call him a 'Playboy Saint'. Others would call him Anti-Christ cough*Matilda*cough. Tanner is the captain of rugby team 'Syndey Smoke'. His team has come to be under some media scrutiny with their extra-curricular activities and behaviour off the field and so to please the higher ups he agrees to Matilda interview him.
The book falls under a mixture of hate to love and second chance romance. It is also a bit of a slow burn compared to other brazen books but it suited the couple. It gave them a chance to get to know each other again but it didn't diminish the sparks and the chemistry they had. Also because Matilda was doing the article under protest, still angry with how Tanner had treated her when they were together so first half of the book is spent with Matilda trying hard to not to let Tanner back into her heart and failing
Rating~ 3.75 stars.
This was a very fun, quick book with a good plot and an entertaining couple with great chemistry.
I really enjoyed the couple together, their banter to their sweet moments and how much the both wanted the best for each other when they were younger.
Matilda 'Tilly' Kent wants to be taken seriously as a journalist and you'd think after graduating from Standford she wouldn't be stuck writing about fashion, bizarre fashion at that. She has been looking for her big break, too bad the break out involves not only an EX but the ex-boyfriend that left her broken hearted and turned her into a cynic.
Tanner 'Slick' Stone , all around good guy except that one time. Some would call him a 'Playboy Saint'. Others would call him Anti-Christ cough*Matilda*cough. Tanner is the captain of rugby team 'Syndey Smoke'. His team has come to be under some media scrutiny with their extra-curricular activities and behaviour off the field and so to please the higher ups he agrees to Matilda interview him.
The book falls under a mixture of hate to love and second chance romance. It is also a bit of a slow burn compared to other brazen books but it suited the couple. It gave them a chance to get to know each other again but it didn't diminish the sparks and the chemistry they had. Also because Matilda was doing the article under protest, still angry with how Tanner had treated her when they were together so first half of the book is spent with Matilda trying hard to not to let Tanner back into her heart and failing
July 23, 2016
Playing by her Rules is the first story in Amy Andrews new Sydney Smoke Rugby series. And how appropriate to have this team called the Sydney Smoke because there is no doubt it will smoke up your e-reader with its hot players and hotter romances! This story happens to be a second chance romance (one of my favourite tropes) and brings together Tanner and Matilda. Matilda is a journalist and lamenting the style column that seems to be the niche she’s carved out for herself at her current job. She wants a meatier role, feature articles that have a more significant effect than what high heeled shoes to wear with what lingerie. But when her boss finds out she used to be involved with Tanner, she’s given an ultimatum – write a six part series on Tanner and his rugby career or see her own career aspirations slip away. Tanner’s team is suffering from a bit of an image problem, and he’s been tasked with giving his cooperation to the journalist who is coming to interview him. When he finds out it’s Matilda, the woman he loved whose heart he knows he broke, he finds himself hoping he can patch things up and show her that he’s really a pretty decent guy. Will Matilda be willing to give him a second chance?
The architect of Matilda’s broken heart, Tanner had good reasons behind what he did. He worried that Matilda would throw over her own career aspirations to follow him around as he developed his rugby career and he just couldn’t let her do it. His plan to have her ‘catch’ him kissing her arch nemesis worked well – they broke up and went their separate ways. While it might have seemed like a good idea to his teenage mind, he knew that he had hurt Matilda but hoped that some day she would forgive him. He’d followed her journalistic path ever since, and when she shows up to interview him, he is hoping he can show her that he might have been a jerk back in high school, but he’s really not that guy now. Tanner is actually a very likable guy. He made a mistake (this is one of those situations where a serious conversation at the time could have saved a lot of heartache on both sides) but he’s working to balance his rugby fame with charitable works on the side. He finally gets a chance to show Matilda that the man she sees in the paper is the one he wants the public to see – the arrogant playboy- and that’s not really who he is.
Matilda made her own share of mistakes when she and Tanner broke up. She could have questioned his actions (and should have) but took everything she saw at face value and ended up with a broken heart. Having lost her trust in the man she loved, she went on to have difficulty engaging in other relationships. Truth be told she spent several years getting over Tanner, though it didn’t stop her from following his rugby career and being proud of all of his accomplishments. When she and Tanner are forced into proximity again for the selection of articles she’s supposed to write about him, she feels she’ll finally have a chance to get a bit of revenge by dishing the dirt on his life. But though she might have a bit of a bite to her articles, the truth is that it doesn’t take long for Tanner’s care and concern for his friends and his charities to show her that he isn’t the unfeeling guy she thought he was. And let’s not forget the sexual chemistry between these two! Having had a teenage sexual relationship that was exciting for them both, Matilda can admit to herself that having muscular, handsome Tanner back in her bed is going to be hard to resist. She thinks that she can engage in an affair with him while keeping her heart protected, but it doesn’t take long for the two of them to reconnect on all levels. They share some very steamy scenes together! But just because he’s in her bed doesn’t mean she’s ready to forgive him, not without some good grovelling.
One of the fun parts of any sports romances is getting to meet the team members and seeing their relationships. Tanner’s got some great friends who give us lots of laughs (and tease him mercilessly about his involvement with Matilda). It’s going to be fun to see them get some stories as well. The rugby scenes are well written and show a good understanding of the sport. Also, I appreciated the contemporary feel of the story, with Tanner and Matilda resorting to Twitter for some fun back and forth banter. This was a fun and sexy read, with a lovely resolution and happy ending for Tanner and Matilda. I’m looking forward to more in this series!
This review appears as a blog post at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
The architect of Matilda’s broken heart, Tanner had good reasons behind what he did. He worried that Matilda would throw over her own career aspirations to follow him around as he developed his rugby career and he just couldn’t let her do it. His plan to have her ‘catch’ him kissing her arch nemesis worked well – they broke up and went their separate ways. While it might have seemed like a good idea to his teenage mind, he knew that he had hurt Matilda but hoped that some day she would forgive him. He’d followed her journalistic path ever since, and when she shows up to interview him, he is hoping he can show her that he might have been a jerk back in high school, but he’s really not that guy now. Tanner is actually a very likable guy. He made a mistake (this is one of those situations where a serious conversation at the time could have saved a lot of heartache on both sides) but he’s working to balance his rugby fame with charitable works on the side. He finally gets a chance to show Matilda that the man she sees in the paper is the one he wants the public to see – the arrogant playboy- and that’s not really who he is.
Matilda made her own share of mistakes when she and Tanner broke up. She could have questioned his actions (and should have) but took everything she saw at face value and ended up with a broken heart. Having lost her trust in the man she loved, she went on to have difficulty engaging in other relationships. Truth be told she spent several years getting over Tanner, though it didn’t stop her from following his rugby career and being proud of all of his accomplishments. When she and Tanner are forced into proximity again for the selection of articles she’s supposed to write about him, she feels she’ll finally have a chance to get a bit of revenge by dishing the dirt on his life. But though she might have a bit of a bite to her articles, the truth is that it doesn’t take long for Tanner’s care and concern for his friends and his charities to show her that he isn’t the unfeeling guy she thought he was. And let’s not forget the sexual chemistry between these two! Having had a teenage sexual relationship that was exciting for them both, Matilda can admit to herself that having muscular, handsome Tanner back in her bed is going to be hard to resist. She thinks that she can engage in an affair with him while keeping her heart protected, but it doesn’t take long for the two of them to reconnect on all levels. They share some very steamy scenes together! But just because he’s in her bed doesn’t mean she’s ready to forgive him, not without some good grovelling.
One of the fun parts of any sports romances is getting to meet the team members and seeing their relationships. Tanner’s got some great friends who give us lots of laughs (and tease him mercilessly about his involvement with Matilda). It’s going to be fun to see them get some stories as well. The rugby scenes are well written and show a good understanding of the sport. Also, I appreciated the contemporary feel of the story, with Tanner and Matilda resorting to Twitter for some fun back and forth banter. This was a fun and sexy read, with a lovely resolution and happy ending for Tanner and Matilda. I’m looking forward to more in this series!
This review appears as a blog post at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
July 11, 2016
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2016/07...
Playing By Her Rules is sexy, sassy good fun! I love rugby player heroes and second chance romances, so when you combine the two – and throw in author Amy Andrews’s signature humor – it’s easy to see why this first Sydney Smoke Rugby book was impossible for me to resist.
Tanner is an utterly delicious hero. With his killer body, sense of humor, skills on the rugby pitch (and other kinds of skills elsewhere ;)), and, most importantly, genuinely good heart, Tanner is exactly the kind of hero who’ll make you swoon. He’s worked hard to get where he is today, but he doesn’t take himself seriously and he gives back as much as he can. One of the things I loved most about Tanner was how openly head-over-heels he is for Matilda. He knows he screwed up when they were younger, breaking her heart on purpose even though he loved her, but now that he has his chance, he’s determined to win her back and get her to loosen up. And there’s no way you can resist rooting for him. Matilda is a sharp, guarded woman who is determined to move up the ladder at the paper, even if it means doing a six-part feature on her ex. She’s afraid to let Tanner in, and she uses wit and sass to try to keep her feelings for him hidden. There’s a lot of back-and-forth in Playing By Her Rules , but with the Twitter banter, Kryptonite panties, and other funny moments, the story sails along at a great pace.
Matilda and Tanner’s story is the first installment of the Sydney Smoke Rugby series and I am already hungry for more. The relationship between Tanner and his teammates made me incredibly eager to read their stories. Ms. Andrews writes some seriously hot rugby players. Whether you’re a fan of sports romances, second chance romances, or simply enjoy a sexy contemporary romance with a sense of humor, you’re in for a treat with Playing By Her Rules .
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Playing By Her Rules is sexy, sassy good fun! I love rugby player heroes and second chance romances, so when you combine the two – and throw in author Amy Andrews’s signature humor – it’s easy to see why this first Sydney Smoke Rugby book was impossible for me to resist.
Tanner is an utterly delicious hero. With his killer body, sense of humor, skills on the rugby pitch (and other kinds of skills elsewhere ;)), and, most importantly, genuinely good heart, Tanner is exactly the kind of hero who’ll make you swoon. He’s worked hard to get where he is today, but he doesn’t take himself seriously and he gives back as much as he can. One of the things I loved most about Tanner was how openly head-over-heels he is for Matilda. He knows he screwed up when they were younger, breaking her heart on purpose even though he loved her, but now that he has his chance, he’s determined to win her back and get her to loosen up. And there’s no way you can resist rooting for him. Matilda is a sharp, guarded woman who is determined to move up the ladder at the paper, even if it means doing a six-part feature on her ex. She’s afraid to let Tanner in, and she uses wit and sass to try to keep her feelings for him hidden. There’s a lot of back-and-forth in Playing By Her Rules , but with the Twitter banter, Kryptonite panties, and other funny moments, the story sails along at a great pace.
Matilda and Tanner’s story is the first installment of the Sydney Smoke Rugby series and I am already hungry for more. The relationship between Tanner and his teammates made me incredibly eager to read their stories. Ms. Andrews writes some seriously hot rugby players. Whether you’re a fan of sports romances, second chance romances, or simply enjoy a sexy contemporary romance with a sense of humor, you’re in for a treat with Playing By Her Rules .
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
June 11, 2019
0.5 stars. I seriously did not enjoy this at all. I can't even list everything that was wrong and problematic about this book. The biggest issue? I could in no way shape or form get behind a relationship between Tanner and Matilda. He consistently dismissed her feelings, got HORNY when she was upset (????) and he totally took away her agency on more than one occasion. Why did everyone act as though Matilda had NO RIGHT to be upset over the fact that Tanner cheated on her? Everyone was like 'it's not that big of a deal'...uhhh... it was disrespectful and gross. Cheating should not be romanticized and should ALWAYS be a deal breaker in a relationship. OH but he had 'reasons' for cheating on her, so it's not really cheating.
Uh...yes it is. If you kiss someone else whilst you're in a monogamous relationship, then you're a cheater. No matter your reasons or justifications.
I feel like there were seriously minimal feelings involved between them. Maybe if we had have gotten a flashback to when they were falling in love the first time? I literally just didn't ship them at all. I wanted them to NOT end up together. They were both toxic for each other. Matilda was better off without him 100%.
The author tried WAY too hard to 'redeem' Tanner/ make him look like a good guy by having every other character in the story prop him up + the charity thing was way over the top. We get it, he's rich and isn't a total piece of shit about it and doesn't hoard his money. Amazing. *eye roll*
I mean..the sex scenes were written pretty good I guess? If you ignore literally everything surrounding them?
PS: She did NOT need to 'get over' the fact that he broke her heart and seriously emotionally damaged her for all future relationships.
PPS: Matilda was however, STUPID as FUCK for even considering giving up a scholarship to STANFORD for his whiny, ungrateful ass. Unrealistic. NO girl smart enough to go to Stanford is that stupid.
PPPS: He accepted a marriage proposal over twitter. HAHAHAHHAH.
PPPPS: "Captain Cunnilingus is in da house.” KILL ME. PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY.
Uh...yes it is. If you kiss someone else whilst you're in a monogamous relationship, then you're a cheater. No matter your reasons or justifications.
I feel like there were seriously minimal feelings involved between them. Maybe if we had have gotten a flashback to when they were falling in love the first time? I literally just didn't ship them at all. I wanted them to NOT end up together. They were both toxic for each other. Matilda was better off without him 100%.
The author tried WAY too hard to 'redeem' Tanner/ make him look like a good guy by having every other character in the story prop him up + the charity thing was way over the top. We get it, he's rich and isn't a total piece of shit about it and doesn't hoard his money. Amazing. *eye roll*
I mean..the sex scenes were written pretty good I guess? If you ignore literally everything surrounding them?
PS: She did NOT need to 'get over' the fact that he broke her heart and seriously emotionally damaged her for all future relationships.
PPS: Matilda was however, STUPID as FUCK for even considering giving up a scholarship to STANFORD for his whiny, ungrateful ass. Unrealistic. NO girl smart enough to go to Stanford is that stupid.
PPPS: He accepted a marriage proposal over twitter. HAHAHAHHAH.
PPPPS: "Captain Cunnilingus is in da house.” KILL ME. PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY.
Want to read
February 2, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/23/2019)! 🎁
Blurb:
In this grudge match, the first to score…
When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.
…could win it all!
Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!
Blurb:
In this grudge match, the first to score…
When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.
…could win it all!
Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!
March 15, 2019
4 1/2 stars
February 26, 2021
A good realistic story and I loved the hero very much eventhough I am not a fan of sport heroes.I liked the pace of the story.Will be reading the series and I liked the eccentric Gran very much...
July 25, 2016
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
One of my pet peeves in romance is a teenage romance that goes bad and 5, 8, 10, 12 years later one of the parties is still angry over it and blames and treats the other person horribly and so for almost 90% of this book, I really wasn't sold on it and then for once the truly "guilty" party realized the mistake, owned up to it and worked to make things right and this book went from 2.5 stars to 4 stars. Entertaining with a whole lot of witty dialog, some fantastic sexual tension and a hero who is determined to make things right I did enjoy this book quite a bit and I think this is going to be an exciting series.
With Rugby's reputation in tatters due to a few players excessive and immoral behavior, Tanner Stone captain of the Sydney Smoke is offered up as a sacrificial lamb for an in-depth interview; the journalist just happens to be Matilda (Tilly) Kent his high school girlfriend and the one woman whose heart he broke in two.
Tilly is a heroine who has two very different sides and unfortunately for a good part of this book her shrewish behavior was in the forefront instead of the insightful, fun, playful side. Honestly it was a shame because I liked that other Tilly (the one the hero alluded to often) and her bitterness was a bit troubling given the amount of years past and the success she's found. I get that her teenage heart was broken, but she was a TEENAGER and in my head I kept saying "grow up, get some therapy, get over it, move on, be happy and why are you letting an 18 year old boy have this much power over you." Seriously folks I said that so often while reading this book I wanted to pull out the heroine's Dictaphone and record if for her. When she let this bitter part of her drop, she was truly delightful and you could see the radiance shine through, but for most of this story we didn't see this side which is why I couldn't score this book any higher.
For a lot of this book I wanted to hate Tanner for making decisions for Tilly back in high school, but when some crucial information came to light I couldn't fault him for it, not only that Tanner is a good man. In everything that he does he shows over and over that he isn't your typical playboy arsehole pro athlete. He is dedicated to his team and his teammates often going the extra mile to help anyone in need, he give of his time and his money to charities near and dear to his heart and despite how hard Tilly is on him throughout this book he wants to make things right and he wants her back in his life. In all honesty, Tanner is a great hero both on and off the field.
Through six meetings (Tilly's term) or dates (Tanner's term) the interview process takes place and while the first couple of articles on Tanner barbs are thrown his way he lets it roll off his back or makes fun of the personal attacks. As it becomes apparent there is way more to Tanner than Tilly ever thought possible the articles change as does their relationship. I'll admit I loved the Tweets about Tanner from his loyal fan base and those he supplied as well; there was humor and fun in these and given his popularity the social media aspect worked well with some very entertaining hashtags.
I have to give a lot of credit to Tanner's teammates and their significant others, his friends and people he volunteers with and Tilly's grandmother, Hannah for offering so much insight into the man Tanner has become and for making Tilly see the adult him, the real him and making her face cold, hard facts that she hadn't before now.
While I would have liked to have more time with this couple when they weren't at odds, I was pleased with the resolution between them and the ending was funny and perfect. Overall, I enjoyed Playing By Her Rules a great deal and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
One of my pet peeves in romance is a teenage romance that goes bad and 5, 8, 10, 12 years later one of the parties is still angry over it and blames and treats the other person horribly and so for almost 90% of this book, I really wasn't sold on it and then for once the truly "guilty" party realized the mistake, owned up to it and worked to make things right and this book went from 2.5 stars to 4 stars. Entertaining with a whole lot of witty dialog, some fantastic sexual tension and a hero who is determined to make things right I did enjoy this book quite a bit and I think this is going to be an exciting series.
With Rugby's reputation in tatters due to a few players excessive and immoral behavior, Tanner Stone captain of the Sydney Smoke is offered up as a sacrificial lamb for an in-depth interview; the journalist just happens to be Matilda (Tilly) Kent his high school girlfriend and the one woman whose heart he broke in two.
Tilly is a heroine who has two very different sides and unfortunately for a good part of this book her shrewish behavior was in the forefront instead of the insightful, fun, playful side. Honestly it was a shame because I liked that other Tilly (the one the hero alluded to often) and her bitterness was a bit troubling given the amount of years past and the success she's found. I get that her teenage heart was broken, but she was a TEENAGER and in my head I kept saying "grow up, get some therapy, get over it, move on, be happy and why are you letting an 18 year old boy have this much power over you." Seriously folks I said that so often while reading this book I wanted to pull out the heroine's Dictaphone and record if for her. When she let this bitter part of her drop, she was truly delightful and you could see the radiance shine through, but for most of this story we didn't see this side which is why I couldn't score this book any higher.
For a lot of this book I wanted to hate Tanner for making decisions for Tilly back in high school, but when some crucial information came to light I couldn't fault him for it, not only that Tanner is a good man. In everything that he does he shows over and over that he isn't your typical playboy arsehole pro athlete. He is dedicated to his team and his teammates often going the extra mile to help anyone in need, he give of his time and his money to charities near and dear to his heart and despite how hard Tilly is on him throughout this book he wants to make things right and he wants her back in his life. In all honesty, Tanner is a great hero both on and off the field.
Through six meetings (Tilly's term) or dates (Tanner's term) the interview process takes place and while the first couple of articles on Tanner barbs are thrown his way he lets it roll off his back or makes fun of the personal attacks. As it becomes apparent there is way more to Tanner than Tilly ever thought possible the articles change as does their relationship. I'll admit I loved the Tweets about Tanner from his loyal fan base and those he supplied as well; there was humor and fun in these and given his popularity the social media aspect worked well with some very entertaining hashtags.
I have to give a lot of credit to Tanner's teammates and their significant others, his friends and people he volunteers with and Tilly's grandmother, Hannah for offering so much insight into the man Tanner has become and for making Tilly see the adult him, the real him and making her face cold, hard facts that she hadn't before now.
While I would have liked to have more time with this couple when they weren't at odds, I was pleased with the resolution between them and the ending was funny and perfect. Overall, I enjoyed Playing By Her Rules a great deal and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
July 6, 2016
***ARC Provided by the Publisher and NetGalley***
Review also appears on I'm A Sweet and Sassy Book Whore:
http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore....
I wanted to like this, it had potential, but there were a couple of issues that I was unable to get past, and this colored my enjoyment of the book.
1. The reason Matilda held the grudge didn't seem reasonable, especially as she never discussed it with him at the time and refused to discuss it with him in the present for quite a while.
2. The "revenge" motivation was both childish and beneath someone who was interested in being a serious journalist...a feature on a major star is career making, for her to be so set on "revenge" after years spent getting to the next level in her career didn't make any sense.
3. The "what happened between us isn't resolved" angle went on for way too long. As a reader, you know what happened from Tanner's POV, but this is drug way too long into the book for it to work. The reaction of both of them gets old. The fact that they haven't discussed it gets old. And, as a reader you know the reason Matilda is still angry, well, it isn't mature...and years later for her not to see that was getting annoying. She never talked to Tanner, just assumed events and held onto the anger for years, using this as a reason to fuel her revenge plans...and I just found her annoying overall and I was not at all sure why he would find her the least bit appealing.
The writing was ok, the characters were, I guess, realistic...if juvenile. I was not able to relate to either of them, which made this a difficult read. I also had issues with the pacing of the story and the amount of time the backstory was used as a reason for the behavior of both of them.
Overall, I am not able to highly recommend this book.
Review also appears on I'm A Sweet and Sassy Book Whore:
http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore....
I wanted to like this, it had potential, but there were a couple of issues that I was unable to get past, and this colored my enjoyment of the book.
1. The reason Matilda held the grudge didn't seem reasonable, especially as she never discussed it with him at the time and refused to discuss it with him in the present for quite a while.
2. The "revenge" motivation was both childish and beneath someone who was interested in being a serious journalist...a feature on a major star is career making, for her to be so set on "revenge" after years spent getting to the next level in her career didn't make any sense.
3. The "what happened between us isn't resolved" angle went on for way too long. As a reader, you know what happened from Tanner's POV, but this is drug way too long into the book for it to work. The reaction of both of them gets old. The fact that they haven't discussed it gets old. And, as a reader you know the reason Matilda is still angry, well, it isn't mature...and years later for her not to see that was getting annoying. She never talked to Tanner, just assumed events and held onto the anger for years, using this as a reason to fuel her revenge plans...and I just found her annoying overall and I was not at all sure why he would find her the least bit appealing.
The writing was ok, the characters were, I guess, realistic...if juvenile. I was not able to relate to either of them, which made this a difficult read. I also had issues with the pacing of the story and the amount of time the backstory was used as a reason for the behavior of both of them.
Overall, I am not able to highly recommend this book.
July 10, 2016
This is a thoroughly enjoyable second chance romance where teen lovers meet up again under less than desirable circumstances more than eight years later.
He was her first love, the one she planned her future around - until she saw him kissing her worst enemy . . . Heartbroken she went off from Australia to study in the US. Now she’s back again as a journalist - the style columnist aspiring to be a feature writer.
She was his first love, the one he planned his future around until she threatened to sacrifice her dream scholarship to follow him and his uncertain path as a sportsman….
Now she’s been sent to do a six week special series on him. Six meetings. Will she get revenge for him breaking her heart or will they get a second chance at love? In a game where points count, who will win?
This is a great story, one packed with the angst of the past colouring the future expectations and present day interactions making it a dramatic story packed with hopes, fears, love, revenge and hot attraction. The characters are brilliantly portrayed (now come on, what do you expect with Amy Andrews as the author - they’re always brilliantly portrayed!). Their emotive interactions, the score keeping and the breaking down of walls around the heart take the reader through the full gamut of emotions. There are laugh out loud moments in the journey, as well as heartbreak and so much more. The secondary characters are essential ingredients in the story and I really hope to learn more about many of them in future novels in this new series - especially Griff and his daughter as well as Tanner’s team mates. This is definitely a series I’ll be looking out for in future!
P.S. Also thought the Glossary of words “readers may not know - both rugby ones and strange Aussieisms” were a brilliant - and sometimes hilarious - addition!
He was her first love, the one she planned her future around - until she saw him kissing her worst enemy . . . Heartbroken she went off from Australia to study in the US. Now she’s back again as a journalist - the style columnist aspiring to be a feature writer.
She was his first love, the one he planned his future around until she threatened to sacrifice her dream scholarship to follow him and his uncertain path as a sportsman….
Now she’s been sent to do a six week special series on him. Six meetings. Will she get revenge for him breaking her heart or will they get a second chance at love? In a game where points count, who will win?
This is a great story, one packed with the angst of the past colouring the future expectations and present day interactions making it a dramatic story packed with hopes, fears, love, revenge and hot attraction. The characters are brilliantly portrayed (now come on, what do you expect with Amy Andrews as the author - they’re always brilliantly portrayed!). Their emotive interactions, the score keeping and the breaking down of walls around the heart take the reader through the full gamut of emotions. There are laugh out loud moments in the journey, as well as heartbreak and so much more. The secondary characters are essential ingredients in the story and I really hope to learn more about many of them in future novels in this new series - especially Griff and his daughter as well as Tanner’s team mates. This is definitely a series I’ll be looking out for in future!
P.S. Also thought the Glossary of words “readers may not know - both rugby ones and strange Aussieisms” were a brilliant - and sometimes hilarious - addition!
July 27, 2016
WOW what a story this one is it had me turning the pages laughing smiling fanning myself with the sexual tension and then the sex. This is a fabulous story so with many emotions for Tilly and Tanner they were first loves but life got in the way and things changed can they re-kindle that first love?
Matilda Kent met the love of her life Tanner Stone as a young teenager and it was meant to be Tanner was an up and coming rugby star and Tilly wanted to write to be a journalist so when Tilly won a scholarship to Stanford in the USA it was a hard choice stay and follow Tanner or go and study for three years, Tanner made up her mind for her. Then eight years later Tilly is given the chance to do a story on Sydney Smoke rugby player Tanner Stone this is going to be fun will Tilly get a little revenge or will he melt her?
Tanner never forgot Tilly his first love but they were both young and made mistakes he has become a top rugby star but has never forgotten where he came from and works hard to help where ever he can he is strong caring and gorgeous, so when they meet again for Tilly to do a story on him the sparks are still there and both are fighting for control.
I highly recommend that you pick this one up find a comfortable spot grab a glass of wine or drink of choice ensure you are not disturbed and sit back and enjoy this fabulous story it is emotional moving very sensual and a darn good read that will ensure you smile and laugh social media plays a great fun part in this fabulous story and you will shed some tears MS Andrews brings the characters to life on the pages as Tilly and Tanner journey to such a sizzling HEA hmmm yes I loved this one thank you MS Andrews for hours of reading pleasure.
Matilda Kent met the love of her life Tanner Stone as a young teenager and it was meant to be Tanner was an up and coming rugby star and Tilly wanted to write to be a journalist so when Tilly won a scholarship to Stanford in the USA it was a hard choice stay and follow Tanner or go and study for three years, Tanner made up her mind for her. Then eight years later Tilly is given the chance to do a story on Sydney Smoke rugby player Tanner Stone this is going to be fun will Tilly get a little revenge or will he melt her?
Tanner never forgot Tilly his first love but they were both young and made mistakes he has become a top rugby star but has never forgotten where he came from and works hard to help where ever he can he is strong caring and gorgeous, so when they meet again for Tilly to do a story on him the sparks are still there and both are fighting for control.
I highly recommend that you pick this one up find a comfortable spot grab a glass of wine or drink of choice ensure you are not disturbed and sit back and enjoy this fabulous story it is emotional moving very sensual and a darn good read that will ensure you smile and laugh social media plays a great fun part in this fabulous story and you will shed some tears MS Andrews brings the characters to life on the pages as Tilly and Tanner journey to such a sizzling HEA hmmm yes I loved this one thank you MS Andrews for hours of reading pleasure.
October 29, 2017
DNF 47%
I liked the hero, he was fun, sexy and outgoing.
The problem was with the heroine.
She was somewhat mousy, nothing spacial about her looks, flat A cups, didn't smile once, acted like a stuck up cabbage, wore ugly suits and she was ice cold to the hero.
Remind me again why authors thinks that this kind of heroines is attractive??
I liked the hero, he was fun, sexy and outgoing.
The problem was with the heroine.
She was somewhat mousy, nothing spacial about her looks, flat A cups, didn't smile once, acted like a stuck up cabbage, wore ugly suits and she was ice cold to the hero.
Remind me again why authors thinks that this kind of heroines is attractive??
July 11, 2017
Good premise about a journalist who has to write a series of six feature articles about the captain of the local Rugby team. Liked experiencing each of their perspectives, but I think my fave character was Hannah Kent, Matilda's grandmother. Particularly liked the way social media and hashtags was used to engage with the general public.
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